Orioles @ Rays lineups and pregame notes

Greetings from Tropicana Field, where the Orioles –having already secured a postseason spot– are a game back in the AL East from the Yankees.

The Rays were officially eliminated with the A’s clinching a spot last night, but Tampa Bay is still playing a host of regulars including third baseman Evan Longoria. Reports out of New York are Dustin Pedroia is playing despite a broken finger and Jacoby Ellsbury is back in the Red Sox lineup as well.

Rays manager Joe Maddon tweeted this on his account: “We’re going to go hard to win these two games just the way Buck and the Orioles did it last year. I know he wouldn’t want it any other way.”

*Jason Hammel threw five innings in a simulated game on Monday and said today he’s good to go. Hammel could pitch as early as Saturday, which would be on regular rest, but obviously that depends on if the Orioles have a game. Hammel is the team’s best starter when healthy and he’s responded favorably using a knee brace that constricts his later movement and keeps the scar tissue that’s been bothering him from causing discomfort.

*Kevin Gausman is here at Tropicana Field and the Orioles top pick in this year’s Draft threw a bullpen session and spent a little while catching with pitching coach Rick Adair and manager Buck Showalter. Gausman has been pitching in the fall instructional league in Sarasota, where he has two more starts scheduled including Friday. Gausman, a righty selected out of LSU, is considered the Orioles most polished pitching prospect and there are some in the organization who think he is further ahead in his development than Dylan Bundy. Bundy, 19, was promoted earlier this month.

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